I would like to delete some, but not all, messages in the messenger app on my Mac. I am NOT referring to deleting only a few messages within a conversation, but rather to separate texts. Any suggestions? Thank you.
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
Hi,
It cannot be done.
The Mac Version was originally bolted on to iChat as an additional account and the app was more set up to Save Chats and conversations than it was for deleting them.
Many people Saved on their Macs and Deleted on other devices.
The requests by many that one device deletion meant in High Sierra (10.13.5) and iOS 11.4 has led to the current situation.
8:03 pm Saturday; July 14, 2018
Hi,
In Messages whether they are iMessages or SMS/Text items you can highlight individual messages and then right click and choose Delete.
7:44 pm Tuesday; July 3, 2018
Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem or a suggestion for change. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem/suggested change solved sooner.
To rephrase the question:
How do I delete multiple conversations at one time?
In previous OS, I could hold CMD and OPT and hit Delete on the ones I wanted to delete. Doing it that way, I didn't have to confirm each again; I didn't get this window.
If I held Delete, it would keep deleting down the list of conversations. Since the OS updated (now 10.13.5), that no longer works.
Another possible option: Is there a work-around where I would not need to confirm each deletion?
No problem.
Sorry about the earlier confusion.
8:06 pm Saturday; July 14, 2018
How do I delete multiple messages (iMessage or SMS) without selecting and deleting each one individually? This is easy to do in iOS but I haven't seen a way to do it on a Mac.
Thanks.
Did you get an answer? I could do this earlier in the year but then after an update I can't anymore. I don't want to click delete each time, I know I can do that. I wanted a faster way like you.
Done.
Thanks, Eric.
Hi,
Hold down the Shift key and click to select a range.
Hold down the CMD key and Click select items without selecting the ones in between.
9:12 pm Friday; July 13, 2018
That does not work.
If I hold down the Shift, CMD or opt keys, alone or in any combination, only one conversation can be selected. If I click on another conversation, that one is selected and the one I had selected before is deselected.
HI,
Your Original Post reads:-
I would like to delete some, but not all, messages in the messenger app on my Mac. I am NOT referring to deleting only a few messages within a conversation, but rather to separate texts.
Admitted you do mention Conversations and messages but I understood it to mean you were in one conversation and wanted to delete items that were not concurrent.
It does not mention deleting multiple Conversations.
7:37 pm Saturday; July 14, 2018
The answer I got was above your question, on July 14: for technical reasons, it can't be done any more. I'm quite disappointed/annoyed, as it's an unnecessary inconvenience.
delete multiple, individual text messages on Mac
